Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Materials Chemistry Commons™

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Engineering

Institution
Keyword
Publication Year
Publication
Publication Type
File Type

Articles 571 - 600 of 2382

Full-Text Articles in Materials Chemistry

Construction And Electrochemical Performance Of Garnet-Type Solid Electrolyte/Al-Li Alloy Interface, Jia-Lin Ma, Hong-Chun Wang, Zheng-Liang Gong, Yong Yang Apr 2020

Construction And Electrochemical Performance Of Garnet-Type Solid Electrolyte/Al-Li Alloy Interface, Jia-Lin Ma, Hong-Chun Wang, Zheng-Liang Gong, Yong Yang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Garnet-type solid electrolyte is a newly developed Li ion conductor and promising in the application of all-solid-state batteries. However, Garnet is incompatible with Li anode, which restricts the application of Garnet-type solid batteries. In order to improve the contact between Garnet-type solid electrolyte and Li electrode, a composite anode which contains Al-Li alloy (Al4Li9) was prepared as an electrode. Al-Li alloy has many advantages such as easy preparation, low cost, simple post-treatment and high capacity. Garnet-type Li6.5La3Zr1.75W0.25O12 (LLZWO) was synthesized via solid-state reaction. Garnet solid electrolyte has …


Structures And Electrochemical Properties Of Sn-Cl Co-Doped Li2Mno3 As Positive Materials For Lithium Ion Batteries, Fei Wang, Huan-Huan Zhai, Du-Dan Wang, Yu-Peng Li, Kang-Hua Chen Feb 2020

Structures And Electrochemical Properties Of Sn-Cl Co-Doped Li2Mno3 As Positive Materials For Lithium Ion Batteries, Fei Wang, Huan-Huan Zhai, Du-Dan Wang, Yu-Peng Li, Kang-Hua Chen

Journal of Electrochemistry

Positive material Li2MnO3 shows the highest ratio of lithium to manganese among lithium-rich materials and exhibites the theoretical capacity up to 458 mAh·g-1, making it one of the most promising cathode materials. However, this material has the intrinsic low electrical conductivity and poor cycle stability. In this paper, Li2MnO3, the lithium-rich positive material, was prepared by sol-gel method using acetate as raw material and citric acid as a complexing agent. By using SnC2O4 as a tin source, Sn4+ instead of Mn4+ was introduced to obtain the …


Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy For Electrocatalytic Interfaces And Reactions: Classics Never Die, Jun Huang Feb 2020

Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy For Electrocatalytic Interfaces And Reactions: Classics Never Die, Jun Huang

Journal of Electrochemistry

This review article recapitulates electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) studies in the field of electrocatalysis. The history of this specialized field, ranging from the beginning of the twentieth century to now, is outlined. We then chronicle milestones of the impedance theory. Special emphases are put on the Dolin-Ershler model, the prevailing model for analyzing adsorption impedance data. Afterwards, we narrow into a very specific and fundamental topic, the double-layer capacitance at platinum (Pt) single crystals. We discuss the challenges in experimentation and theoretical understanding thereof. We cast doubts into the validity of using the Dolin-Ershler model to obtain the double-layer capacitance …


Electrochemical Preparations And Applications Of Nano-Catalysts With High-Index Facets, Chi Xiao, Na Tian, Zhi-You Zhou, Shi-Gang Sun Feb 2020

Electrochemical Preparations And Applications Of Nano-Catalysts With High-Index Facets, Chi Xiao, Na Tian, Zhi-You Zhou, Shi-Gang Sun

Journal of Electrochemistry

The performance of catalysts highly depends on their surface structure and composition. Nanocrystals bounded by high-index facets usually exhibit high catalytic activity due to their high-density low-coordinated step atoms with high reactivity. In this paper, we have reviewed the preparations of noble metals (e.g., Pt, Pd and Rh) nanocatalysts with high-index facets by electrochemical square-wave potential method developed in our group. The square-wave potential method includes a nucleation procedure to generate nuclei, followed by a square-wave potential procedure for a certain period of time for the growth of nuclei into nanocrystals. The formation mechanism of high-index facets is also discussed. …


Recent Progress In The Mechanistic Understanding Of Co2 Reduction On Copper, Matthew M Sartin, Wei Chen, Fan He, Yan-Xia Chen Feb 2020

Recent Progress In The Mechanistic Understanding Of Co2 Reduction On Copper, Matthew M Sartin, Wei Chen, Fan He, Yan-Xia Chen

Journal of Electrochemistry

In this review, we present the major developments in the understanding of the mechanisms of the electrochemical reduction of CO2 from a historical perspective. Most of the work discussed in this review was carried out at copper electrodes, as this is the only material at which hydrocarbons are produced in reasonable quantities. The emphasis focuses on the differentiation of mechanisms for the generation of C1 and C2 products as well as factors and methods for controlling the product selectivity of CO2 reduction. We have highlighted ambiguities, assumptions, and important methodologies, such as differential electrochemical mass spectrometry and electrochemical …


Effect Of Nitrogen Content In Catalyst Precursor On Activity Of Fen/C Catalyst For Oxygen Reduction Reaction, Zhi Yang, Ya-Yun Shen, E Zhou, Cheng-Ling Wei, Hao-Li Qin, Juan Tian Feb 2020

Effect Of Nitrogen Content In Catalyst Precursor On Activity Of Fen/C Catalyst For Oxygen Reduction Reaction, Zhi Yang, Ya-Yun Shen, E Zhou, Cheng-Ling Wei, Hao-Li Qin, Juan Tian

Journal of Electrochemistry

Non-noble metal catalysts with high activity and low cost have attracted increasing interest as potential catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to replace Pt-based catalysts. In this paper, the effect of nitrogen content in catalyst precursor on ORR activity of FeN/C catalyst was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) surface area and pore size distribution measurements, transmission electron microscope (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and rotating disk electrode (RDE) techniques. The results show that the most active catalyst was obtained by pyrolysis in argon at 1050 °C with a catalyst precursor containing 20wt% 1,10-phenanthroline, 1wt% Fe and Black Pearl 2000. …


Challenges In The Activity And Stability Of Pt-Based Catalysts Toward Orr, Tuo Zhao, Er-Gui Luo, Xian Wang, Jun-Jie Ge, Chang-Peng Liu, Wei Xing Feb 2020

Challenges In The Activity And Stability Of Pt-Based Catalysts Toward Orr, Tuo Zhao, Er-Gui Luo, Xian Wang, Jun-Jie Ge, Chang-Peng Liu, Wei Xing

Journal of Electrochemistry

The development of highly efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts is the key to the commercialization of fuel cells, where the sluggish ORR reaction rate needs to be overcome by adjusting the intermediates adsorption energies on the catalytic surfaces. To-date, platinum (Pt)-based materials are the-state-of-the-art catalysts in terms of both activity and stability in ORR, making them the preferred choice for commercial applications. However, the high cost of Pt-based catalysts limits their widespread use, leading to massive effects paid in reducing Pt loading, improving catalyst activity and stability. This article illustrates the challenges in the ORR reaction and introduces the …


Research Progresses In Polymeric Proton Exchange Membranes For Fuel Cells, Xu-Po Liu, Yun-Feng Zhang, Shao-Feng Deng, De-Li Wang, Han-Song Cheng Feb 2020

Research Progresses In Polymeric Proton Exchange Membranes For Fuel Cells, Xu-Po Liu, Yun-Feng Zhang, Shao-Feng Deng, De-Li Wang, Han-Song Cheng

Journal of Electrochemistry

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) is one of the key components in PEM fuel cells, which possesses the function of separating the cathode and anode, affording proton transport channels and preventing fuel permeability. The property of PEM significantly influences the performance and service life of fuel cells. Nowadays, the commercially used Nafion membranes have the shortcomings of serious fuel permeability, low proton conductivity at elevated temperature and high price, which limits the rapid development of PEM fuel cells. Therefore, it seems to be urgent to develop novel PEMs with low cost and good comprehensive properties. Polymeric proton exchange membrane is an …


Lithium Storage Performance Of High Capacity Material Si@CPzs In Lithium Ion Batteries, Qing-Nuan Zhang, Fang-Fang Zhang, Hong-Xia Li, Bing-Jun Yang, Xiao-Cheng Li, Juan Yang Feb 2020

Lithium Storage Performance Of High Capacity Material Si@CPzs In Lithium Ion Batteries, Qing-Nuan Zhang, Fang-Fang Zhang, Hong-Xia Li, Bing-Jun Yang, Xiao-Cheng Li, Juan Yang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Carbon layers with different thicknesses were introduced into the surfaces of silicon (Si) nanoparticles by sol-gel method using poly (cyclotriphosphazene-co-4, 4'-sulfonyldiphenol) as the carbon source. Technologies of X-ray diffraction, thermo-gravimetric analysis, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller and transmission electron microscopy were employed to analyze the structures and components of the as-prepared Si@CPZS composites. Electrochemical performance of Si@CPZS with different carbon thicknesses was studied. The results showed that Si@CPZS with carbon thickness of 10 nm possessed the best performance. Its capacity remained 940 mAh·g-1 after 290 cycles under 500 mA·g-1. As the addictive, the graphite-based anode contained 30% of …


In-Situ Raman Spectroscopic Study Of Electrochemical Reactions At Single Crystal Surfaces, Min Su, Jin-Chao Dong, Jian-Feng Li Feb 2020

In-Situ Raman Spectroscopic Study Of Electrochemical Reactions At Single Crystal Surfaces, Min Su, Jin-Chao Dong, Jian-Feng Li

Journal of Electrochemistry

Since the 1970s, in-situ spectroscopy (Raman, infrared, etc.) has been used to systematically study the electrochemical interfacial reactions which can provide more information about surface reactions and reveal the mechanisms from microscopic view due to its excellent surface sensitivity and energy resolution. With the development of nano-technology, surface-enhanced Raman scattering effect spectroscopy has made rapid progress. Recently, the emergence of SHINERS provides a good in-situ spectroscopic technique for the study of catalytic reactions on single crystal model electrodes with deterministic surface structure. In this paper, we have summarized the application of SHINERS in the study of …


Research Progresses In Ni-Co-Mn/Al Ternary Concentration Gradient Cathode Materials For Li-Ion Batteries, Chun-Fang Zhang, Wen-Gao Zhao, Shi-Yao Zheng, Yi-Xiao Li, Zheng-Liang Gong, Zhong-Ru Zhang, Yong Yang Feb 2020

Research Progresses In Ni-Co-Mn/Al Ternary Concentration Gradient Cathode Materials For Li-Ion Batteries, Chun-Fang Zhang, Wen-Gao Zhao, Shi-Yao Zheng, Yi-Xiao Li, Zheng-Liang Gong, Zhong-Ru Zhang, Yong Yang

Journal of Electrochemistry

Nickel-rich ternary materials with large reversible capacity as well as high operating voltage are considered as the most promising candidate for next generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, the inferior cycle stability and thermal stability have limited their widely commercial applications. Concentration gradient design of Ni-Co-Mn/Al ternary concentration gradient materials have been extensively studied in the past decade, which can ensure high cycle capacity while maintaining excellent cycle stability. In this paper, the latest research progresses in Ni-Co-Mn/Al ternary concentration gradient materials for LIBs are reviewed. Firstly, we summarize the different synthesis methods of ternary concentration-gradient materials, especially focusing on the …


Preparations Of Nickel-Iron Hydroxide/Sulfide And Their Electrocatalytic Performances For Overall Water Splitting, Hang-Shuo Lu, Xiao-Bo He, Feng-Xiang Yin, Guo-Ru Li Feb 2020

Preparations Of Nickel-Iron Hydroxide/Sulfide And Their Electrocatalytic Performances For Overall Water Splitting, Hang-Shuo Lu, Xiao-Bo He, Feng-Xiang Yin, Guo-Ru Li

Journal of Electrochemistry

The Ni-Fe/Ti oxygen evolution electrode was prepared by electrodeposition on a titanium mesh substrate. Then, the as prepared Ni-Fe/Ti electrode was used to derive the Ni-Fe-S/Ti hydrogen evolution electrode through solid phase sulfuration. The effects of the molar ratio of Ni2+ to Fe3+ in the electrolyte and the amount of thiourea on the structures and electrochemical performances of Ni-Fe/Ti and Ni-Fe-S/Ti electrodes were investigated. The results show that the oxygen evolution performance of Ni-Fe/Ti electrode was first increased and then decreased with the increase of nickel ion content in the electrolyte. The Ni9Fe1/Ti electrode exhibited the best oxygen …


Atomic Force Microscopic Characterization Of Solid Electrolyte Interphase In Lithium Ion Batteries, Qing-Yu Dong, Yan-Li Chu, Yan-Bin Shen, Li-Wei Chen Feb 2020

Atomic Force Microscopic Characterization Of Solid Electrolyte Interphase In Lithium Ion Batteries, Qing-Yu Dong, Yan-Li Chu, Yan-Bin Shen, Li-Wei Chen

Journal of Electrochemistry

In recent years, the rapid growing in the electric vehicle market has raised higher requirement on the lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) performance towards energy density and safety. However, considering the successful development of LIBs techniques in the past 30 years, there is little room left for improving the LIBs performance on the aspects related to the electrode materials, battery structure design and production processes. It is important to pursue more comprehensive fundamental understanding in the entire system and working principle of LIBs. Solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), existing between the electrode material and the electrolyte, has been proved to be an important …


Preparation And Electrocatalytic Performance Of Nico2O4/Ni Foam For Hydrogen Peroxide Electrooxidation, Wei-Wei Chen, Fei-Fan Zhang, Jia-Liang Du, Yi Wang, Chun-Lin Zhao, Kai Zhu, Dian-Xue Cao, Gui-Ling Wang Feb 2020

Preparation And Electrocatalytic Performance Of Nico2O4/Ni Foam For Hydrogen Peroxide Electrooxidation, Wei-Wei Chen, Fei-Fan Zhang, Jia-Liang Du, Yi Wang, Chun-Lin Zhao, Kai Zhu, Dian-Xue Cao, Gui-Ling Wang

Journal of Electrochemistry

The electrodes of Ni foam supported NiCo2O4 nanowires were prepared by hydrothermal method, followed by a thermal treatment in air, and were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It was found that the NiCo2O4 nanowires had a diameter of about 50 nm with a length up to 3 ~ 5 μm. The catalytic performances of the Ni foam supported NiCo2O4 nanowires for H2O2 electrooxidation were studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The results show that the Ni foam supported NiCo …


Nanoscale Colocalization Of Fluorogenic Probes Reveals The Role Of Oxygen Vacancies In The Photocatalytic Activity Of Tungsten Oxide Nanowires, Meikun Shen, Tianben Ding, Steven T. Hartman, Fudong Wang, Christina Krucylak, Zheyu Wang, Che Tan, Bo Yin, Rohan Mishra, Matthew D. Lew, Bryce Sadtler Jan 2020

Nanoscale Colocalization Of Fluorogenic Probes Reveals The Role Of Oxygen Vacancies In The Photocatalytic Activity Of Tungsten Oxide Nanowires, Meikun Shen, Tianben Ding, Steven T. Hartman, Fudong Wang, Christina Krucylak, Zheyu Wang, Che Tan, Bo Yin, Rohan Mishra, Matthew D. Lew, Bryce Sadtler

Electrical & Systems Engineering Publications and Presentations

Defect engineering is a strategy that has been widely used to design active semiconductor photocatalysts. However, understanding the role of defects, such as oxygen vacancies, in controlling photocatalytic activity remains a challenge. Here, we report the use of chemically triggered fluorogenic probes to study the spatial distribution of active regions in individual tungsten oxide nanowires using super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. The nanowires show significant heterogeneity along their lengths for the photocatalytic generation of hydroxyl radicals. Through quantitative, coordinate-based colocalization of multiple probe molecules activated by the same nanowires, we demonstrate that the nanoscale regions most active for the photocatalytic generation of …


The Fabrication And Properties Of Magnetorheological Elastomers Employing Bio-Inspired Dopamine Modified Carbonyl Iron Particles, Yanfen Zhou, Lele Li, Wenyue Li, Shipeng Wen, Liang Jiang, Stephen Jerrams, Jianwei Ma, Shaojuan Chen Jan 2020

The Fabrication And Properties Of Magnetorheological Elastomers Employing Bio-Inspired Dopamine Modified Carbonyl Iron Particles, Yanfen Zhou, Lele Li, Wenyue Li, Shipeng Wen, Liang Jiang, Stephen Jerrams, Jianwei Ma, Shaojuan Chen

Articles

To obtain magnetorheological elastomers (MREs) with improved mechanical properties and exhibiting an enhanced magnetorheological (MR) effect, bio-inspired dopamine modification has been used to improve the functionality at the surface of carbonyl iron (CI) particles. Various techniques including x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to confirm that a polydopamine (PDA) layer of about 27.5 nm had been successfully deposited on the surface of the carbonyl iron particles prior to their inclusion in the MRE composites. The magnetic properties of PDA modified CI particles were shown to be almost the same as those …


Ni-Au Anodic Nano-Electrocatalyst For Direct Glucose Fuel Cells, Islam M. Al-Akraa, Aya S. Abdulhalim Eng, Yassr M. Asal Mr, Ahmad M. Mohammad Prof Jan 2020

Ni-Au Anodic Nano-Electrocatalyst For Direct Glucose Fuel Cells, Islam M. Al-Akraa, Aya S. Abdulhalim Eng, Yassr M. Asal Mr, Ahmad M. Mohammad Prof

Chemical Engineering

This study aims at the sequential assembling of a nickel oxide (NiOx: cauliflower-like nanostructure, 90 nm) and gold (Au; spherical, 95 nm in an average particle size) onto the GC surface nanocatalyst on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode (will be abbreviated as Ni-Au/GC) for the glucose electro−oxidation (GO); the principal anodic reaction in the direct glucose fuel cells (DGFCs). The charge of the Ni deposition on the GC surface (will be abbreviated as Ni/GC electrode) was initially optimized to obtain the highest catalytic activity toward GO which attained at (339.8 Ag−1) by applying 15 mC in the Ni deposition. Yet, …


Tuning The Activity And Stability Of Platinum Nanoparticles Toward The Catalysis Of The Formic Acid Electrooxidation, Islam M. Al-Akraa, Bilquis A. Al-Qodami, Santosh Sridhar Mysore Dr, R. Viswanatha Dr, Abdul Kareem Thottoli, Ahmad M. Mohammad Jan 2020

Tuning The Activity And Stability Of Platinum Nanoparticles Toward The Catalysis Of The Formic Acid Electrooxidation, Islam M. Al-Akraa, Bilquis A. Al-Qodami, Santosh Sridhar Mysore Dr, R. Viswanatha Dr, Abdul Kareem Thottoli, Ahmad M. Mohammad

Chemical Engineering

No abstract provided.


Redox-Active Porous Organic Materials For Electrochemical Energy Storage Applications, K. Shamara Weeraratne Jan 2020

Redox-Active Porous Organic Materials For Electrochemical Energy Storage Applications, K. Shamara Weeraratne

Theses and Dissertations

As the demand for renewable energy technologies grows, so does the need for cheaper, more efficient rechargeable batteries to store the energy. While lithium-ion battery (LIBs) technology is well established, it suffers from limited lithium supplies. Furthermore, the highly toxic transition metals used in the electrodes places a huge burden on the environment. Therefore, replacing lithium with more economical sodium metal in rechargeable batteries (i.e. sodium-ion batteries, SIBs) has garnered considerable attention. Despite the fact that sodium and lithium share similar electrochemical properties, which may cause the transition from lithium to sodium easier, the larger ionic radius of Na+ …


Enhanced Glucose Electrooxidation At Ni-Cu Binary Oxide Nanocatalyst, Islam M. Al-Akraa, Mahmoud M. Abouzaid Eng, Yaser M. Asal Mr, Ahmad M. Mohammad Prof Jan 2020

Enhanced Glucose Electrooxidation At Ni-Cu Binary Oxide Nanocatalyst, Islam M. Al-Akraa, Mahmoud M. Abouzaid Eng, Yaser M. Asal Mr, Ahmad M. Mohammad Prof

Chemical Engineering

The aim of this study is to fabricate a nickel (NiOx) and copper (CuOx) oxide nanocatalyst on a glassy carbon (GC) electrode (will be abbreviated as Ni-Cu/GC) for glucose oxidation (GO). A sequential electrodepositon mode was applied to assemble NiOx and CuOx in the fabrication scheme. The optimization of Ni loading on the GC surface (will be abbreviated as Ni/GC electrode) was achieved first to attain the maximum catalytic efficiency in terms of the specific current toward GO. This (409 Ag1)was obtained by applying 15 mC/cm2 in the deposition of Ni. However, unfortunately the NiOx/GC could not support a long-term …


Enhanced Covalent Interface, Crosslinked Network And Gas Barrier Property Of Functionalized Graphene Oxide/Styrene-Butadiene Rubber Composites Triggered By Thiol-Ene Click Reaction, Long Zheng, Stephen Jerrams, Tian Su, Zongchao Xu, Liqun Zhang, Li Liu, Shipeng Wen Jan 2020

Enhanced Covalent Interface, Crosslinked Network And Gas Barrier Property Of Functionalized Graphene Oxide/Styrene-Butadiene Rubber Composites Triggered By Thiol-Ene Click Reaction, Long Zheng, Stephen Jerrams, Tian Su, Zongchao Xu, Liqun Zhang, Li Liu, Shipeng Wen

Articles

The high gas barrier property of a rubber composite is of great significance for reducing the exhaust gas emissions due to tire rolling resistance and hence the contribution this factor makes to environmental protection. Enhanced covalent interfaces and crosslinked networks are crucial to the gas barrier property of rubber composites. In this research, γ-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane (MPS) modified GO (MGO)/styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) composites were prepared by a synergetic strategy of latex compounding method and thiol-ene click reaction. It was found that the mercapto groups in MGO reacted with the vinyl groups in SBR molecules through thiol-ene click reaction during the crosslinking process …


Correlating The Physicochemical Properties Of Magnesium Stearate With Tablet Dissolution And Lubrication, Julie L. Calahan Jan 2020

Correlating The Physicochemical Properties Of Magnesium Stearate With Tablet Dissolution And Lubrication, Julie L. Calahan

Theses and Dissertations--Pharmacy

Magnesium stearate (MgSt) is the most commonly used pharmaceutical excipient and is present in over half the tablet formulations on the market. In spite of its popularity as an effective lubricant, it has been repeatedly recognized that there is significant variability between MgSt samples, which can cause inconsistent lubrication between batches of MgSt. The hypothesis of this research is that the batch-to-batch variability in tablet lubrication and dissolution observed in tablet formulations containing different MgSt samples can be correlated with differences in MgSt physicochemical properties (fatty acid salt composition, crystal hydrate form, particle size and surface area). Developing correlations between …


Carbon Oxidation At The Atomic Level: A Computational Study On Oxidative Graphene Etching And Pitting Of Graphitic Carbon Surfaces, Simon Schmitt Jan 2020

Carbon Oxidation At The Atomic Level: A Computational Study On Oxidative Graphene Etching And Pitting Of Graphitic Carbon Surfaces, Simon Schmitt

Theses and Dissertations--Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

In order to understand the oxidation of solid carbon materials by oxygen-containing gases, carbon oxidation has to be studied on the atomic level where the surface reactions occur. Graphene and graphite are etched by oxygen to form characteristic pits that are scattered across the material surface, and pitting in turn leads to microstructural changes that determine the macroscopic oxidation behavior. While this is a well-documented phenomenon, it is heretofore poorly understood due to the notorious difficulty of experiments and a lack of comprehensive computational studies. The main objective of the present work is the development of a computational framework from …


Gravity-Drawing Flexible Silicone Filaments As Fiber Optics And Model Foldamers, Katherine Snell Jan 2020

Gravity-Drawing Flexible Silicone Filaments As Fiber Optics And Model Foldamers, Katherine Snell

CMC Senior Theses

Here, we present a method of gravity-drawing polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) silicone fibers with application as fiber optics and as model foldamers. Beginning as a viscous liquid, PDMS is cured using heat until its measured viscosity reaches 4000 mPa•s. The semi-cured elastomer is then extruded through a tube furnace to produce thin (diameters on the order of hundred micrometers) filaments with scalable lengths. PDMS is biocompatible, gas-permeable, flexible, and hydrophobic. Additionally, the PDMS surface hydrophobicity can be modified via UV exposure, O2 plasma, and corona discharge. We demonstrate the patternibility (i.e patterns of hydrophobicity) of PDMS fibers, adding complexity to potential foldamer …


Observation Of Reduced Thermal Conductivity In A Metal-Organic Framework Due To The Presence Of Adsorbates, Hasan Babaei, Mallory E. Decoster, Minyoung Jeong, Zeinab M. Hassan, Timur Islamoglu, Helmut Baumgart, Alan J.H. Mcgaughey, Engelbert Redel, Omar K. Farha, Patrick E. Hopkins, Jonathan A. Malen, Christopher E. Wilmer Jan 2020

Observation Of Reduced Thermal Conductivity In A Metal-Organic Framework Due To The Presence Of Adsorbates, Hasan Babaei, Mallory E. Decoster, Minyoung Jeong, Zeinab M. Hassan, Timur Islamoglu, Helmut Baumgart, Alan J.H. Mcgaughey, Engelbert Redel, Omar K. Farha, Patrick E. Hopkins, Jonathan A. Malen, Christopher E. Wilmer

Electrical & Computer Engineering Faculty Publications

Whether the presence of adsorbates increases or decreases thermal conductivity in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) has been an open question. Here we report observations of thermal transport in the metal-organic framework HKUST-1 in the presence of various liquid adsorbates: water, methanol, and ethanol. Experimental thermoreflectance measurements were performed on single crystals and thin films, and theoretical predictions were made using molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the thermal conductivity of HKUST-1 decreases by 40 – 80% depending on the adsorbate, a result that cannot be explained by effective medium approximations. Our findings demonstrate that adsorbates introduce additional phonon scattering in HKUST-1, …


Design Of Pigments For Use In “Cool” Coatings, Tyler Laughorn Jan 2020

Design Of Pigments For Use In “Cool” Coatings, Tyler Laughorn

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

This project was focused on the development and testing of several novel pigments that exhibit high NIR-reflectance and therefore show potential for use in “cool” coatings. A “cool” coating will reflect more solar radiation than other standard coatings, and so a coated structure would require less energy to keep cool. Four sets of pigments were synthesized: Co1-xMgxCr2O4 (teal), Co0.25Mg0.75Cr2-yAlyO4 (blue), Ti1-x-yNixSbyO2 (yellow), and Cr2-xFexO3 (black). NIR and TSR values were then measured …


Filtration Apparatus Design For Oil-Water Separation Using Membranes And Sponges, Alec Jerger Jan 2020

Filtration Apparatus Design For Oil-Water Separation Using Membranes And Sponges, Alec Jerger

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

It can be difficult to separate water and oil emulsions through traditional filtration. Therefore, investigations of filtering using thermo-responsive (TR) polymers, in this case poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME), was conducted. It’s hypothesized that below its lower critical solution temperature (LCST), PVME has an affinity for water while oil substances do not. Above the LCST the opposite will be true. To verify this hypothesis, iterations of filtration designs were created to provide optimum control over the parameters to measure flow. The final optimized experimental apparatus was a Chromaflex glass column which was air tight and controlled all parameters besides fluid flow. …


Effect Of The Electrodeposition Potential Of Platinum On The Catalytic Activity Of A Pt/Gc Catalyst Toward Formic Acid Electro−Oxidation, Islam M. Al-Akraa, Bilquis A. Al-Qodami Ms., Ahmad M. Mohammad Prof Jan 2020

Effect Of The Electrodeposition Potential Of Platinum On The Catalytic Activity Of A Pt/Gc Catalyst Toward Formic Acid Electro−Oxidation, Islam M. Al-Akraa, Bilquis A. Al-Qodami Ms., Ahmad M. Mohammad Prof

Chemical Engineering

The electrocatalytic activity of platinum (Pt)–modified glassy carbon (GC) (referred as Pt/GC) electrodes toward the formic acid electro−oxidation (FAO) was investigated. The Pt deposition on the GC substrate was carried out by a potentiostatic technique at different potentials (from 0.2 V to −0.2 V vs. Hg/Hg2Cl2/KCl (sat.) reference electrode) and the corresponding influence on the catalytic activity toward FAO was monitored. The electrocatalytic inspection revealed a potential role for the Pt deposition potential in boosting the catalytic efficiency of the catalyst toward FAO and further in mitigating the CO poisoning that eventually deactivate the catalyst. Interestingly, the highest activity toward …


A Spin-Coated Tiox/Pt Nanolayered Anodic Catalyst For The Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cells, Islam M. Al-Akraa, Ahmad M. Mohammad Prof Jan 2020

A Spin-Coated Tiox/Pt Nanolayered Anodic Catalyst For The Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cells, Islam M. Al-Akraa, Ahmad M. Mohammad Prof

Chemical Engineering

The CO poisoning of the platinum anodic catalyst which typically functions the catalytic deterioration of the direct formic acid fuel cells could be minimized with a simple modification for Pt with titanium oxide. The fabrication scheme involved the spin-coating of a Ti precursor onto a Pt thin layer that was physically sputtered onto a Si substrate. The whole assembly was subjected to a post-annealing processing to produce the TiOx layer (60 nm) in a porous structure (mostly Anatase) atop of the Pt surface. The porous nature of the TiOx layer permitted the participation of Pt in the electrocatalysis of the …


Effects Of Hole Transporting Layers And Surface Ligands On Interface Energetics And Photovoltaic Performance Of Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskites, So Min Park Jan 2020

Effects Of Hole Transporting Layers And Surface Ligands On Interface Energetics And Photovoltaic Performance Of Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskites, So Min Park

Theses and Dissertations--Chemical and Materials Engineering

Organic metal halide perovskites are promising materials for various optoelectronic device applications such as light emitting diodes (LED) and photovoltaic (PV) cells. Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have shown dramatic increases in power conversion efficiency over the previous ten years, far exceeding the rate of improvement of all other PV technologies. PSCs have attracted significant attention due to their strong absorbance throughout the visible region, high charge carrier mobilities, color tunability, and ability to make ultralight weight devices. However, organic metal halide perovskites still face several challenges. For example, their environmental stability issue must be overcome to enable widespread commercialization. Meeting …